Page 56 of Kiss of Smoke

“I-I’m s-sorry,” I’d gasped between sobs, my face buried in Alec’s chest with Lachlan’s warm body pressed against my back. “I d-don’t know why this is h-happening.”

“You cry all you want, lassie,” Alec replied, his breath stirring my hair. “It’s normal.”

I sniffed. “It is?”

“Aye. I read some medical journals online. The pregnancy wasn’t viable, but your body still thought it was pregnant. All those hormones are making a run for it.” He planted a firm kiss on my crown. “It can make you weepy.”

I lifted my head so I could see his face. “You researched all that for me?”

“Of course I did. You’re not in this alone.”

My heart squeezed. How could such a simple statement mean so much? But it did, and even more so because I knew it was true. I’d been alone my whole life—first as a lonely kid who seemed to get in my mother’s way, and then as the underachiever fiancée watching Josh from the sidelines. Now, for the first time, I was part of something I’d never had before.

A family. Maybe an unconventional one. Some people might not approve.

But who cared what people thought? People were overrated anyway.

Lachlan had chuckled, clearly picking up my thoughts. But it didn’t bother me anymore. The mental connection was part of our bond.

He’d run a gentle hand down my back. “How’s your bleeding, lass?”

“Lighter,” I said readily, because it was impossible to be embarrassed with these men. My men. They were so matter-of-fact about things. But heat entered my cheeks as I added, “I think we should be able to…you know…soon.”

He made a tsking sound and turned me so I faced him. Propped on his elbow, he traced my lower lip. “We’re not worried about that. But I can speed up the healing process if you want.”

“With your tears?” He hadn’t mentioned it since the hospital, and now I really wanted to see how it worked. And if it made the damn hormones go away faster? All the better.

He looked at Alec behind me. “You want me to do it?”

“You’re far better at it,” Alec said lazily. “Old man,” he added.

Lachlan gave him a disgruntled look. Then he lowered a soft gaze to me. “It’s a tricky gift. Something that takes a long time to master.” As he spoke, moisture gathered in his eyes, which seemed to leap with fire.

My heart raced as the air around the bed…sparkled. There was no other word for it. Currents seemed to dance over my skin like champagne.

Lachlan blinked, and a perfect, tiny diamond slipped onto his cheek.

My breath caught. Instinctively, I reached for it, curious to see if it was as real as it looked.

“No,” Alec murmured, catching my hand in a gentle grip. “Let him give it to you.”

Slowly, Lachlan plucked the shimmering jewel from his face and carried it to my mouth. Heart pounding, I parted my lips.

Fire. It licked over my tongue…and yet it didn’t burn. Heat streaked from my mouth to every cell in my body, searing without harming. The diamond dissolved and a sense of well-being flooded me, better than anything I’d ever felt. Better than the finest food or the biggest wine buzz or the most explosive orgasm.

In a blink, all the aches and pains of the miscarriage vanished. The dragging in my limbs. The raw, scraped feeling in my womb. The nagging headache buzzing in my temples. All of it disappeared, leaving me flushed and awestruck.

“Wow,” I said, breathless as the rush of pleasure receded. “That was…thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Lachlan said, golden eyes smiling.

Alec’s indignant voice had floated over my shoulder. “Better than an orgasm? We’ll see about that.”

Raindrops struck my face, yanking me abruptly from my memories. I shivered and stood, gathering the tartan blanket I’d taken onto the rooftop where Alec and Lachlan had landed our first night in London.

It was hard to believe that was a week ago, I thought as I slid open the penthouse’s heavy glass door and ducked inside. As I pulled it shut, the rain started in earnest, soaking the roof and making the city’s lights gleam in the darkness. The wind howled, and I tucked my bare toes under the tartan. London wasn’t as cold as the Highlands, but it was still chilly. If either of the guys caught me without socks, they would pitch a fit.

I snorted under my breath. They would probably do more than that. Alec would plunk me in a warm bath while Lachlan built a fire. It had been days since he healed me, but they both still acted like I was made of glass. It was endearing, but also kind of…well, irritating.

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